Baylor Model OAS team wins honors at international competition

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By Dr. Joan E. Supplee, The Ralph L. and Bessie Mae Lynn Professor of History and director of the Baylor Model Organization of American States Program

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In early November, the Baylor Model Organization of American States (MOAS) traveled to Texas State University in San Marcos to debate policies concerning the Western Hemisphere at the annual Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States (ESMOAS) competition. They were joined by students from other universities in Texas, Louisiana and Mexico.

This competition marked the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the model and included an academic conference, a moot court competition and a simulation of the Summit of the Americas. This year, teams at the competition represented 29 of the 35 members of Organization of American States (OAS).

The keynote speaker was Her Excellency, Ambassador Maria Paula Bertol, the Argentine ambassador to the OAS. Ambassador Bertol spoke on the importance of public service as an avocation fueled by enthusiasm. She also spoke about the challenges of being a female in a male field.

In the summit, Baylor students represented the countries of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. They presented and defended resolutions that covered issues such as reducing the impact of climate change, improving food security, protecting the rights of migrant populations, improving freedom of the press, and creating mechanisms to encourage free and fair trade in the hemisphere. Students also worked on resolving a hypothetical crisis involving a natural disaster in Taiwan coupled with a Chinese invasion.

Baylor student Lawson Sadler (junior, University Scholars, San Antonio) served as president of the Summit and chaired the General Committee along with her rapporteur, Liana Dorsbach (junior, anthropology, Boerne). Rafael Silva (senior, international studies, Querétaro, Mexico) and Trevor Allred (junior, international studies, Houston) served as chair and rapporteur for the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security.

Camryn Lutes (freshman, history and political science, The Woodlands) was selected to serve on the 2018 Student Steering Committee. Makayla Gorden (junior, anthropology and political science, Midland) won the election for president of the 2019 Model and Jenny de la Fuente (sophomore, Latin American studies, San Antonio) won for Secretary-General. A faculty panel chose Michaela Scott (sophomore, University Scholar, Cape Girardeau, Missouri) to serve as the 2019 parliamentarian and David Bryant (sophomore, history, Waco).

Other honors won by Baylor teams included:

Selected by a panel of external judges:

  • Outstanding Delegation: Team Jamaica under the leadership of head delegate Victoria Harrison (senior, international studies, Wellington, Florida)
  • Distinguished Ambassador: Victoria Harrison
  • Distinguished Position Paper: Team Jamaica
  • Outstanding Resolution for the Secretariat for Multi-dimensional Security: Jorden Jorgenson, Team Dominican Republic (senior, international studies and Spanish, Tacoma, Washington);
  • Outstanding Resolution for the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development: Michaela Scott, Team Dominican Republic; and
  • Outstanding Chair and Rapporteur: Lawson Sadler and Liana Dorsbach

Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) Moot Court:

  • Distinguished Team: Ry Hutchinson, (junior, political science, Alvarado) and Alex Rorick, (junior, international studies, Spring). This was the first year Baylor fielded a Moot Court team. Tyler Talbert, a Baylor graduate and local attorney, coached the team.

Awards Selected by committee members:

  • Distinguished Delegate from the General Committee: Victoria Harrison
  • Outstanding Delegated from the Secretariat for Multi-dimensional Security: Jorden Jorgenson
  • Outstanding Delegate from the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development: Michaela Scott

Conference Participants: Theme: International Relations in Latin America and Asia

  • Lawson Sadler presented a paper on the panel “Pacific Bridges: Linking Asia and the Americas,” titled “China in Latin America: Economics, Soft Power and Taiwan”
  • Dr. Joan E. Supplee presented a paper on the panel “In the Open: the Power of Architecture, the Arts, and Public Space” titled “Tale of Two Plazas: The Public Space as an Reflection of the History of the Argentina”
  • Joshua Hyles, a Baylor History M.A. (2010) served as executive director for the model.
  • Dr. Joan E. Supplee, Lynn Professor of History, coached the Baylor teams

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